From basic to specialty, and everything in between

What will drive the chemical industry in advanced economies? How does the chemical industry add value for customers and what does it mean for new product development? Product and process innovation opens new markets, reduces waste and drives revenue. Not surprisingly, companies in the chemical industry are increasingly putting innovation on the top of their list of priorities. Continue reading “The Right Tools” »

What good is the most innovative product of the century if you can’t produce it at scale? When considering topics for this blog it was obvious from interactions with customers and industry leaders that innovation is perennially of interest. However, since statistics show that 95% of all new product development initiatives fail, bad ideas alone could not account for this significant failure rate. Continue reading “You Have to Build It For Them to Come” »

The innovative possibilities for 3D Printing usage are seemingly endless. A key component that impacts usage, however, is the material used in the printing process. The most popular material is plastic, with Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) being the long-standing material of choice. Several renewable sources, including Polylactic Acid (PLA), are gaining ground due to their many environmental and health-related benefits. Continue reading “3D Printing Materials Breakdown: ABS vs PLA” »

Advanced materials are revolutionizing how humans interact with each other and the planet. While the use of advanced materials offers a wide variety of potential benefits for the consumer, many companies in R&D intensive industries struggle to keep pace with accelerated market demands while maintaining profitability and EHS compliance. So, how do companies ensure that new concepts become commercial successes? Continue reading “The Unanswered Questions for R&D and Engineering Teams” »

About this Blog

This blog is a forum for a critical exchange of ideas on issues, trends and opportunities related to innovation and R&D in chemicals and new materials and applications, offering helpful perspectives in environmental health and safety, risk management, new product development and operational efficiency. This blog serves the chemicals and materials community specifically, heads of R&D, heads of Manufacturing and Engineering, and chemists and engineers involved in chemical and materials R&D from ideation to manufacturing and production at scale.

Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Elsevier, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Reed Elsevier.